The longest-running magazine devoted to small-scale live steam.
Features product reviews, construction articles and plans, columns
on machining and building, etc. Features articles on Gauge 1 and
Gauge 0 locomotives, as well as prototypes and other steam topics.

The magazine's publishers have compiled an online INDEX
of all the articles which have appeared in Steam in the
Garden.

Focused entirely on outdoor, large scale (almost exclusively
gauge 1) railroading. Often includes articles, product reviews,
etc. relating to small-scale live steam. A page-long column is
devoted to steam in every issue and there are other steam-related
articles occasionally. Editor is an avid live steamer, and has
also made a very complete and informative videotape introducing
small-scale live steamers. Also available from Brandbright in
England, the Big Train Station in Australia, and Old Pullman
Modellbahnen in Stafa, Switzerland. There are several other
foreign hobby shops that handle it too.

While they advertise themselves as a "magazine devoted to all
aspects of garden railways", one subscriber notes that "it has a
very English bias, focused on 16mm to the foot live steam, but
lots of other coverage as well".

If you have an internationally recognized credit card such as
Visa, you may take a year's subscription to Garden Rail
directly from the publisher. Your bank will handle the currency
conversion at no charge. For six-month subscriptions GardenRail
requires cash.

Published ten times a year by the Nederlandse Vereniging van
Modelbouwers (Dutch Model Engineers Society).

The magazine contains articles about all aspects of modelbuilding
with a strong emphasis on live steam, shipbuilding and building of
modelcarts and -coaches, but small scale trains, cars and
aeromodelling also have their fixed place in each issue.
Since the mid-eighties descriptions of steam locomotives in
various gauges are a permanent feature in the magazine.

Besides the magazine, the society runs a selling point for
modelbuilding plans and drawings. The catalogues now contain over
1300 different plans which are available for members and
non-members. Six different catalogues exist, each covering a
different kind of modelbuilding.

Onder Stoom
(In Steam)

This is the publication of the Stoomgroep Holland (the National
Dutch Society of Model Engineers). Subscription price
includes membership in the group. Drawings of steam driven
models and equipment (Metric of course) are available. A list is
available from the secretary.

Editor: Rob van Dort
51 't Veer
9351 DG Leek
Netherlands

Books:

A Passion For Steam

This is the definitive
reference for small-scale live steam locomotives, by Marc
Horovitz, editor of Garden
Railways magazine. It is a hard-bound, coffee-table
quality book, but behind the gorgeous photos and color technical
drawings is a huge amount of information and lore about small
steamers.

The first half of the book is a thorough, front-to-back
examination of the ways the little locos are built. The chapters
cover

the basics of how steam engines work

cylinders, how the work, and various types

pistons and lubricators

valve gears and reversing mechanisms

geared locomotives

boilers

fuel and burners

feedwater systems

fittings

Each of these topics is treated in considerable detail, illustrating
all the variations and alternatives with close-up photos and
three-dimensional, color technical drawings. The writing strikes a
pleasing balance between technical lecture and conversation with a
knowledgable friend, including not only the engineering information
but many interesting anecdotes and historical asides. It is a very
enjoyable read.

The second half of the book is a gallery of almost a hundred model
steam locomotives - chronologically arranged by date of
construction, from 1865 to 2004 - from Horovitz' personal
collection. Each one is described in terms of its prototype (if
any), who built it and when, and the technical details of its
construction. These are the real-life manifestations of all the
theory and engineering discussed in the first half, and the range of
possibilities is exhilirating.

As far as I know, there has never been a book that covers the
small-scale live steam locomotive with anything approaching this
level of thoroughness. That it is so well written and is
also a visual treat makes it the "must have" book for anyone
interested in these models. As LBSC often noted, "'Nuff said."

Building
Small Steam Locomotives: A Practical Guide to Making Engines for
Garden Gauges

One of the last things the late Peter Jones created was this book on
the principles and techniques of building small-scale live steam
locomotives. From kitbashing to scratchbuilding, Peter makes steam
locomotive construction understandable and accessible to the average
hobbyist. And he does it in the sitty style that made him a fixture
of the steam modeling world. What a wonderful legacy!

Available in the US from:MBI Publishing
400 1st Avenue North
Suite 300 Minneapolis MN 55401

Aster Manual and Catalog

Published by Aster Hobbies. Looseleaf, to accomodate updates. $15-25
(depends on source).
Available from Aster dealers

Catalogues are the stuff of dreams, and the Aster catalogue is no
different. Its primary goal is to arouse lust in its viewers, and
in this it succeeds admirably. The photos and descriptions give
the reader longings which take me back to staring at a toy train
catalogue as a nine-year-old. But with price tags which resemble
used automobiles more than toy trains.

Aster's catalogue is called a Manual and Catalog,
however, and with good reason. While the lusty material is
certainly there, it is also a valuable guidebook to small-scale
live steam in general.

In 1997, Aster changed the catalogue format from a yearly, bound
book to a looseleaf binder for their product specification sheets.
This permits the collection to be updated as new models are
announced, while accepting the spec sheets from previous models as
well.

The section following the engine specifications is a 40-page
book, and a valuable reference in its own right, the Manual
of Aster Model Live Steam Engines. This book-in-a-book
has chapters on the principles of locomotive design, the various
types of boilers and their fitting, valve gears, pumps and
lubricators, general operational and safety procedures, radio
control and trouble shooting, and maintenance. The Manual
is probably the best introductory book on small-scale live steam
available today, and as such has a place on every small-scale live
steamer's bookshelf.

In addition, the 1997 version included an introductory section
celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the British Gauge 1 Model
Railway Association (G1MRA), including the text of a keynote
address by G1MRA stalwart and prominent Aster designer John van
Riemsdijk.

All in all, a fine introduction and reference to small-scale live
steamers, -- a "must have" book.

The Model Steam Locomotive

The complete guide to building a live steam model locomotive.
Evans, longtime contributor to the renowned British magazine Model
Engineer, is the designer of many well-known model steam
locos. In this book, he goes through the design and construction
issues involved in building model steamers, piece by piece. Some
of the information may seem specific to the larger scales (1-inch
and 1.5-inch scale on 5-inch and 7.25-inch gauge track), but he is
also very attentive to the variations necessary to produce engines
in the smaller scales as well.

The book contains many photos of locomotives and drawings of
parts and assemblies in all sizes from 0 scale to 1.5 inch scale.

Perhaps most gratifying is the fact that Evans writes clearly and
has arranged his material in a logical and organized fashion. You
can follow his progress through the subject easily, you can find
information later when you need to refer to it, and it all makes
sense when you read it.

If you want to really understand your live steam model
locomotive, this book is highly recommended. If you are familiar
with the terminology and the general workings of a locomotive, you
will finish this book with some considerable knowledge of what
goes into producing them.

If you have a desire to build such a model, the book is almost
indispensible. Evans has been there already, and his experience
will save you much time and wasted effort.

A Beginner's Guide to Model Steam Locomotives

Comparable in many ways to Evans' The Model Steam Locomotive,
Coles distinguishes his book in its lightness of tone and somewhat
less intimidating approach. He goes at steam locomotives not
as a foregone model engineering project, but rather as an object
of pleasure which may be attained in many ways. (Chapter 3:
"Beg, build or buy".)

Granted, the bulk of the book is devoted to teaching how to build
a working model steam locomotive. I found Coles' more
oriented towards educating about the fundamentals of a steam
locomotive than Evans'.

Chapter titles: (1) Start here (2) What is around (3) Beg, build
or buy (4) What you need (5) The mechanical bit: the rolling
chassis (6) The mechanical bit: the real works [cylinders, drive
and valve motion] (7) The mechanical bit: more works [valve gears,
lubrication] (8) The hot bit [boilers] (9) The top bits [domes,
plumbing, bodywork] (10) On the rails.

This is a step-by-step guide to building the G1MRA "Project
Loco", a single-cylinder 0-6-0 which is simple enough for a
beginner (with experience or experienced mentoring), yet
sophisticated enough to have spawned a fleet of variations.
Being a single-cylinder design, the working bits are between the
frames, leaving the outside of the frames free to modify (with
non-working cylinders valve gear, etc.) to the builder's own
fancy.

The text is quite clear, and does not presuppose too much on the
part of the beginning locomotive builder. Likewise, measured
drawings of each part accompany the detailed descriptions of the
part's fabrication, along with photographs showing subassemblies,
tool setup, etc. The boiler is a JvR "Type C", so the boiler
plan is worth having the book for by itself.

I would consider this a "must-have" book for anyone comtemplating
building a gauge 1 steam locomotive.

This follow-up to the Project Book takes the builder into
more sophisticated territory to build an Edwardian 4-4-0,
considered by many to be the most beautiful and elegant British
locomotive design. Where the Project Book is
intended to be a builder's first locomotive, Dee builds on
the skills learned in building the Project Loco.
Accordingly, it is not considered a stand-alone book, but rather
assumes access to the Project Book for certain
information. The Dee Book includes over 40 pages of
drawings, as well as a full-size erection drawing and numerous
photographs.

Beginner's Guide to Large Scale Model Railroading

by Marc Horovitz and Russ Larson.

1994. Greenberg/Kalmbach. ISBN 0-89778-397-2. 96 pp. $16.95

Chapter 9 of this book is an excellent orientation to small scale
live steamers. Covers past and current developments, theory and
practice of steam engines, operational procedures, radio control,
available equipment and considerations for the starter. Numerous
illustrations.

In the US and Canada, you may call 1-800-533-6644 to order from
Kalmbach. Outside the US and Canada, call 414-796-8776, or fax
414-796-1615. They accept Visa, MasterCard and American
Express.

Electronic
Media:

This 2-disc set is a fabulous compliation of Keith Bucklitch's
construction article from 16mm
Today magazine (as translated to his web site), along with
additional photographs, an interactive 3-D model of the finished
locomotive and a short film of the preserved prototype in action.

Francis Leach had already produced similar 3D renderings for the
G1MRA's project locos, as separate companions to the books showing
their construction. Packaging the basic construction article with
additional photographs, interactive 3D models and prototype film is
a pioneering and welcome development in our hobby. As far as I know,
nothing as comprehensive as this has been done before for model
railroad builders. Even though the photos in this particular project
are less than wonderful, it's the best concept I have ever seen for
a modeling project. I hope this will be only the first example of a
new way of packaging model engineering projects.